1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fishing lures and, more particularly, to fishing lures that include a self-contained source of illumination.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the sport of fishing, artificial lures are often used instead of live bait. To be most effective, the artificial lure should have some qualifies that appeal to one or more of a fish's senses. One of the fish's senses that are appealed to by many artificial lures is the sense of sight. It has been learned that an artificial lure that is internally illuminated may be especially effective in luring a fish. In this respect, throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to internally illuminated artificial lures, and the following patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,656,253; 3,721,033; 4,757,632; 4,959,919; and 5,175,951.
When an illuminated fishing lure moves under water, the visual effects given off by the lure are variable and random depending upon a number of factors which include the color of the illumination, the movement path of the lure, water currents, the composition of the water, and the other objects that are under water. It has been learned, however, that some fish arc not readily attracted by such random visual effects. In this respect, of the patents cited above, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,656,253, 3,721,033, and 5,175,951 disclose illuminated fishing lures that include a flashing source of illumination. The flashing source of illumination can provide a regular visual effect that may be more attractive to some fish than random visual effects.
Sources of illumination may vary with respect to their size and shape. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,757,632 and 5,175,951 disclose the use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) as the sources of illumination. U.S. Pat. No. 4,757,632 discloses LEDs in the form of eye of an artificial lure; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,951 provides a flashing LED.
In spite of the extensive disclosures in the patents cited above, there are still a number of deficiencies that the above-cited patents do not overcome. For example, certain predatory fish may be attracted by a specific flashing illumination pattern that emanates from eyes of an artificial lure. In addition, certain fish can perceive both the eyes and the associated body of their prey. For an artificial lure to be most effective in luring such fish, both the flashing eyes and the associated body should be perceived by the fish as a unified combination. Such a combination of flashing eyes and an associated body are not disclosed in the patents cited above.
Fish are cold-blooded creatures. As a result, in cold waters, some aspects of fish physiology may be slower than in warm waters. As a result, the response of some fish to flashing lights may be variable, depending upon their body temperature. Moreover, the sensory response of different fish may vary from species to species. In this respect, an artificial lure that includes a flashing light that has a constant rate of flash may not be effective in luring different species of fish or may not be effective in luring a single species of fish in different temperature waters. To overcome this problem, it would be desirable if an illuminated, flashing artificial lure were provided that included a device for selecting different flashing rates,
Just a certain species of fish may respond to different flashing rates in an artificial lure, there is variation among fish as to the color of flashing light that would provided an optimum response. None of the patents cited above appear to perceive this problem, and none of the patents cited above provide a solution. In this respect, it would be desirable if an illuminated fishing lure device were provided which included variations in the color of the source of illumination.
Among the patents cited above, there are two ways of activating the artificial lure so that illumination begins. In one way, the user throws a switch before placed the artificial lure in the water. In the other way, a gap is provided between two electrical contacts, and, when the artificial lure is placed in the water, the water fills the gap. The conductive properties of the water complete the circuit between the gapped contacts, and the source of illumination is activated. A potential problem associated with the latter method of activation of illumination arises from the fact that the conductive properties of water are variable for a number of reasons which include water temperature and degree of salinity. As a result, the random variation is the conductivity of water that completes the electrical circuit can result in random variation in the performance of the circuit. If the circuit drives an source of illumination, the source of illumination may vary in a random manner. In this respect, to avoid problems of random variation in illumination, it would be desirable if an illuminated fishing lure device were provided which does not include an activation switch which depends on the conductivity of water.
As discussed above, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,656,253, 3,721,033, and 5,175,951 disclose illuminated fishing lures that include a flashing source of illumination. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,033 discloses a transistorized flashing fishing lure that includes a plurality of transistors, resistors, and capacitors. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,951 discloses a complex array of circuit elements and circuit boards to drive the flashing LED. The respective circuitry in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,721,033 and 5,175,951 are both circuitry specifically designed for the application at hand. None of the patents disclose the use of an off-the-shelf electronic module that can readily be used instead of the specifically designed circuitry. For purposes of simplicity of construction and for purposes of reduced expense, it would be desirable if the electronic circuitry used to control flashing illuminators in an artificial fishing lure be based on an off-the-shelf module.
A number of off-the-shelf electronic modules have been available for in the market place for a number of years, and a wide variety of specific electronic circuits have been published based on such off-the-shelf modules. Off-the-shelf flasher modules for driving LEDs are well known, and it would be desirable if an illuminated fishing lure were provided with an off-the-shelf flasher module for driving LEDs. More specifically, the Siliconix Incorporated flasher module known as LM3909 is such an off-the-shelf module that can be used for driving LEDs, and a number of LED-based flasher circuits based on the LM3909 have been published. In this respect, it would be desirable if an illuminated fishing lure device were provided which included an LM3909 flasher module.
The flashing rate of an electronic flasher is often dependent upon the time constant of an RC circuit. By changing either the resistance (R) or the capacitance (C) in the RC circuit, the time constant can be changed and, consequently, the flash rate can be changed. In this respect, it would be desirable if an illuminated fishing lure device were provided with either a variable resistance or a variable capacitor in an RC circuit so that the flash rate of the flasher can be changed as desired.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use flashing artificial fishing lures, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest an illuminated fishing lure apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) provides an illuminated artificial fishing lure that includes flashing LEDs in the form of flashing eyes associated with a simulated body; (2)includes a device for selecting different flashing rates; (3) includes variations in the color of the source of illumination; (4) does not include an activation switch which depends on the conductivity of water; (5) employs an off-the-shelf electronic module for controlling the flash rates of the lure illuminators; (6) is provided with an off-the-shelf flasher module for driving LEDs; (7) includes an LM3909 flasher module for driving LEDs; and (8) is provided with either a variable resistance or a variable capacitor in an RC circuit so that the flash rate of the flasher can be changed as desired. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique illuminated fishing lure apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.